M A I N   N E W S

Shinde: Can’t take risk of withdrawing AFSPA 
M Aamir Khan/TNS

Srinagar, October 14
Even as Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde complimented the people of Kashmir for “fighting terrorism”, he said the Centre could not take the “risk” of withdrawing the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state right now.

“It (AFSPA) will gradually go… but we cannot take the risk now… we cannot withdraw it abruptly,” Shinde told reporters before concluding his three-day visit to the state.

He made the statement after addressing a gathering at the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) headquarters here.

Shinde appreciated the people of Kashmir for “fighting terrorism”.

“I salute and praise the courage of people in fighting terrorism….the people are responsible for restoring peace,” he added.

Shinde urged the local Congress workers and leaders to remain united for the betterment of the party.

He said he was ‘proud’ of the way UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was running the country.

“We wanted her (Sonia) to be the Prime Minister, but she wanted that the Prime Minister should be from a minority group,” Shinde added.

The Union Home Minister termed as “baseless” the corruption charges levelled by activist-turned-political Arvind Kejriwal against Congress leaders.

Expressing satisfaction over his visit to border areas of the state, he said he would soon visit the border near Myanmar and Bhutan to review the security situation.

Asserting that the Congress had emerged as a “great secular force” in Jammu and Kashmir despite facing “considerable difficulties” in the past, he promised the gathering that he would “lend a helping hand” to resolve the problems being faced by them.

Shinde said he would always make it a point to visit the Pradesh Congress Committee offices of the states he visited.

JKPCC president Prof Saifuddin Soz thanked the Union Home Minister for accepting his invitation to visit the local Congress headquarters.

Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and Congress Cabinet ministers Peerzada Mohammad.Sayeed, Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla and RS Chib were also present on the occasion.